12TH – 14TH FEBRUARY, 2016

HEAL THE WORLD MISSION ANNUAL RETREAT 2016

Theme:

STANDING OUT

Topic:

THE POWER OF

UNITY AND PURPOSEPrepared By: PST. (MRS) WUMI OLUKILEDE

Bible Reading: PSALM 133 : 1 - 3‘‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.’’

INTRODUCTIONThe author Chinua Achebe said in his book (1958 novel)

“This group of people are falling apart because the string that banded them together was cut off.” The ‘string’ in this statement is UNITY. They are falling apart and they can no longer dwell in peace. Chaos, strife, lacks and want becomes the order of the day. A lot of people are victim of the consequences of lack of unity. No wonder the word made us to understand that it is good and pleasant for brethren to dwell together in unity.

‘‘Things fall apart the centre cannot hold. They have put a knife to the string that band us together and we are falling apart’’

WHAT IS UNITY?

Unity could be defined as a state of being united or joined as a whole. To be joined together with one spirit and love. To be united with common aims, objectives and purpose. Unity also means speaking with one language and dwelling together with understanding. Are you and your wife speaking one language? Are we speaking same language in this movement? The only way to get things done cheaply is to work in unity. However, there is no way we can work in unity without clear understand of the purpose of this movement.

WHAT IS PURPOSE?

Purpose is the reason for which something is created or exists. There is a purpose for which any group or team exist. You can never make a successful team/group if your purpose is not defined or otherwise, different from one another.

There is divine purpose for which the ministry exists among which are:

Genesis 11:6 “And the Lord said, behold the people is one, and they have all one language, and this they begin to do, and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do”.

To become blessed by being a blessing to others, through the operation of the covenant of seed, time and harvest. Genesis 8:22.

To be a blessing to the orphans and the less – privileged, by providing scholarship.

To put a stop to the plagues of marital divorce and separation through the secret embedded in the word.

To liberate the dying world from all plagues of affliction, poverty and sorrow through adequate application of God’s word.

To build a nation and the world, where God will be the focus of all the people, through the covenant practice. Hence, the vision 2040.

God said ‘‘can two walk together except they be agreed?” Amos 3:3.

To Achieve The Above Purpose; UNITY IS KEY

There is no way you can walk together when unity is out of place. There is no way you can achieve your purpose without unity. There is no way an assembly or group can be together without unity. There is no way destiny can be preserved without unity.

There is this popular phrase; “United we stand, divided we fall”.

“every city or house divided against itself shall not stand”. Matthew 12: 25

There is need to be united if we must stand out.

Why Do We Need to Work in Unity?

VID-20150118-WA0007.mp4

WATCH SHORT VIDEO ABOUT THE EFFECT OF UNITY

To Speak One Language.When we are united, we speak one language. When we speak one language nothing could restrained you as a group from achieving your purpose. Genesis 11:6.As long as we keep speaking one language in this movement, nothing will be able to restrain us from achieving our goal of vision 2040.

To build STRENGHT There is strength in number as shown above. The group is strengthened against challenges. Unlimited Breakthrough.Unlimited breakthrough becomes the other of the day. A united family will have no better yesterday. A united group will continue do exploits and record progress on continuous bases.

To enhance Love and Harmony.Unity brings peace and harmony. Absence of discourse, bitterness, hatred and unforgiveness result into progress and divine health.Divine Presence.

Divine presence is provoked by the power of unity. In genesis 11: 5 ‘And the lord came down to see the city and the tower which the children of men builded’. God came down in the midst of the people. Any home or assembly where there is unity, divine presence will be evidence. Where there is divine presence, there will be miracles. No challenges and obstacle can stand His presence. Psalm 114:3 – 4 says ‘The Sea saw it and fled, Jordan was driven back. The mountain skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs’. As we move from one nation to another to achieve our corporate objective with unity, every mountain will skipped like rams.

To Facilitate Greater Efficiency. Two are better than one because they have good reward for their labour . Ecclesiastes 4:9

To Enhance Mutual Support. As we work on tasks, we receive assistance and encouragement from one another. Such support and encouragement, goes a long way to enable us achieve our goals in life. Ecclesiastes 4:10 says “ But woe to him that is alone, when he falleth, for he has no one another to help him up. There is divine lifting when we walk in unity.

Greater Sense of Accomplishment. There will be greater sense of accomplishment as the movement is able to achieve a goal that looks difficult to achieve as members cooperates and takes collective/ individual responsibility for the outcome. Psalm 133:3

To Facilitate Quick Answered to Prayer.

Matthew 18:19 - 20 says ‘‘if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them’’.Greater Effectiveness. There is greater effectiveness when a group is able to coordinates their efforts and divide roles and task

Faster Speed. Working as a team often complete task and activities within a very short period of time. Acts 1: 47. ‘And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved’.

Discover the purpose why you are here. When you know the reason God send you here, you will do everything required to work in unity so that you can fulfil that purpose, otherwise you will become a failure in the sight of God. Why are you a leader or coordinator.

Believe in the vision of the movement. Amos 3:3

How to Work in Unity of Purpose

Be ready to speak same language. Genesis 11: 1and 7

Be committed to the course of the movement. Make the 12 covenant pillars your workbook. Be committed to your covenant responsibility, be committed to your marriage as covenanted, be committed to His word etc.

How to Work in Unity of Purpose

Be obedience to instruction as commanded by God through God servant our president. ‘If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the fruit of the land’. Isaiah 1:19 . kind Saul was willing but could not obey instruction as passed to him by God through prophet Samuel. Disobedient is an act of rebellion to unity of purpose.

Wok in Love. You must let the love of God dwell in your heart and love your neighbour as yourself according to Mathew 22:39. The greatest of all virtues is love according to 1 Corinthians 13:13. When we love one another as commanded it becomes very easy to work in unity of purpose.

How to Work in Unity of Purpose? Cont …

Build quality relationship. Unity is been strengthened by relationship. Relationship is the way 2 or more people or group regard and behaves to each other. How are you relating with the members in your group/ chapter?

Correct in love. You can correct, reproof but don’t condemn or crucify.

Respect and submit to one another. We can only come together when we respect what each other carry in the body of Christ. Don’t despise, don’t disdain, keep the unity of the spirit. If we keep the unity of the spirit, the bound of peace will be preserved.

How to Work in Unity of Purpose Cont …

WHY SOME FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WORK IN UNITYExtremely sensitive to the opinion of people.

Bitterness and unforgiveness. Refusing to forgive and let go cannot hold any centre together. It is one of the causes of deadly diseases like high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes etc.

Lack of responsibility. Failure to do what you are to do, is the root cause of disunity.

WHY SOME FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WORK IN UNITY

Selfishness. Me, myself and mine

Striving to be somebody else. This is a sign of jealousy. There is no need trying to be somebody. God has created you in a special way of which nobody can be you. Please be yourself.

WHY SOME FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WORK IN UNITY

Inferiority complex: Don’t feel less than other person. You are created uncommon. Be yourself and appreciate who you are. You can always be better if you ask for more grace.

Refusing to be corrected. Nobody has a monopoly of wisdom. At every point in time there is something you don’t know but somebody either higher or lower than you knows. You must take to counsel and correction when necessary. It is advisable that everybody must have a mentor. Somebody should be able to guide and correct you when necessary. Destruction is inevitable where correction is not feasible. Refusing to be corrected is a sign of pride and foolishness. Proud and foolish people don’t go far in life.

IN CONCLUSION: To be united, we must Work in love, Be focus on the mission

purpose, Maintain good relationship, Avoid complex and Stay connected.

It takes being connected to stand out. When you are connected and committed you will remained standing and fruitful like a tree by the riverside both in your career and family life.

If we fail to work as a team, we turn the team to a war.

Dwelling together in unity, is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garments’’

As we remained connected, the anointing move from the head to the skirt. That means that the same anointing that is operating in this movement, in the life and family of God servant, will also operate in your home even better because when the oil flows down it is the bottom that is socked more….

And bottom pot is always the sweetest.

IN CONCLUSION …

Remember, a pregnant woman need not be envious of a nursing mother it’s just a matter of time. We shall all get to the top…

LETS WORK IN UNITY!!!

Remain Planted By The River Side.

Thank You! Pst (Mrs) Wumi Olukilede